Pokemon: Journey of Obella
by Winterslithebreath
Summary: Ash Ketchum begins his latest quest to become a Pokemon master. With help from his friends, old and new, will he attain his long-awaited dream? Will his friends attain theirs?
1. Chapter 1

**1**

As the early morning sun crept over the horizon, it seemed that nothing could disrupt the serene tranquility of its light. Unfortunately for Ash, this was not the case. Today was destined to start the same way it had every day for the last six years.

"Pi…ka…CHUUUU!" A sparking thunderbolt jolted across the room, springing Ash to his feet. Startled by his furry alarm-clock-of-a-friend's shocking awakening, Ash quickly spun to face his old pal, Pikachu. Who would have thought such voltage could have come from a little yellow rodent!

"Hey, what's the big idea?" he snapped.

Pikachu scratched his head and smiled sheepishly. "Pika, pikapi, pikachu!"

"What do you mean you've been trying to wake me up?" Ash grumbled back. After a brief sigh, he continued, "Well, I guess that's what you get for trying to sleep in."

Not a moment later, the two heard a call come from downstairs. "Ash, wake up! Breakfast will be ready any minute!" The wafting aroma of warm toast and sweet syrup flowed into the room.

"I'll be right down, Mom!" Ash called back, and he quickly dressed, and he and Pikachu ran out of his room and down the stairs.

As he bolted into the kitchen, the sweet aroma strengthened, causing Ash's stomach to growl. "Oh, dear, you even sound hungry!" his mother joked. "It'll be just a minute, so have a seat, sweetie. When I get this dished up, I have some news for you."

"What kind of news, Mom?"

"Well, as it turns out…Professor Oak told me that he managed to acquire a ticket for you to travel to a new region—"

"A new region? Where, when, I want to hear everything!" Ash interrupted.

"I knew you would be excited, sweetie," his mother chuckled. "As for the journey, you'll be taking a boat to Sinnoh. When you reach the Pokémon center in town, Nurse Joy will have the ticket for you. It's a short train ride from there to the first town. I think it's called Grassebb Town."

"Sinnoh, huh? You know, I should call Dawn before I go today," replied Ash.

"That reminds me! Dawn called earlier from the Hearthome Pokémon center, but I had to take a message because you were still asleep. I could hear you snoring from clear down here!"

"I'll call her right as soon as I've talked to Professor Oak, Mom," Ash said as he cleared his plate and scurried towards the front door. "I'll be back soon, Mom!"

"Okay, dear. Enjoy yourself, Ash," his mother shouted, interrupted by a slamming door.

After a short walk, Ash pulled up to the front of Professor Oak's laboratory. As if run like clockwork, the door crept open, revealing a jolly, middle-aged man in a white lab coat.

"Professor Oak!" Ash exclaimed.

"Ash, good to see you! Delia told me about how well you slept through the night!" Professor Oak noticed a faint red hue forming over Ash's cheeks. "Not to worry, though!"

"Is there anything Mom managed to not share with you…" Ash mumbled grudgingly.

"Oh, I could probably imagine, young man," Professor Oak jested. "Anyhow, enough of this small talk! I have something of great importance to share with you!"

"Is this about that new region?" Ash inquired.

"Why, yes, Ash! Did your mother tell you about it?"

"A little. What is this new region?"

"Well, Ash, a short ride west of the Sinnoh region lies the Obella region. Like each of the regions you have visited before, it too has its own set of Gyms, and of course, the Obella League coming up in the fall. I thought this would be the perfect time to tell you so you could start on a brand new journey to be a league champion!"

"All right! Another journey! I wanna go now!" Ash yelled. "How do I get there again?"

"Well," Professor Oak muttered, thoughtfully. "First you need to make your way to the ferry near here that will take you back to Sinnoh. When you arrive, Nurse Joy will have your Train Pass to get you to Grassebb Town from Hearthome City. When you arrive in Grassebb Town, Professor Fern will explain where to go from there."

"Right, I see, Professor," replied Ash. "Before I leave, can I use your phone? Dawn called earlier and it sounds like I might see her when I get to Sinnoh."

"Why, that sounds like a grand idea, Ash! Perhaps you two might travel together again, too," said Professor Oak.

"That would be great! I'll call her now."

Across the room, Ash stopped at a large computer-like machine. After stroking several large keys, the screen lit up in a bright green. After a few seconds, a familiar figure appeared on the screen.

"Dawn!" Ash blurted.

"Ash!" Dawn shouted back. "Did you get my message earlier?"

"No, sorry! I only heard you had called."

"Well, Ash, you heard about the Obella region, right?"

"Yeah. I'm going the first chance I get!" Ash asserted. "I'll be in Grassebb Town in no time!"

"Hah, Ash, you were always so eager to travel," Dawn said, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, I'll be in the city all day, so let's meet at the Pokémon center when you arrive, okay?"

"Will do, Dawn! See you later!"

"Bye, Ash!" With a click, the screen went blank.

Turning his attention back to the professor, Ash returned to the other side of the laboratory. "Well, Ash?" the professor asked.

"Dawn wants to meet in Hearthome City," Ash responded with a slight hesitation in his voice. Professor Oak noticed this, and gave him a rather perplexed look.

"Is that so? I wonder what she wants..."

"Me too, Professor," Ash replied. With an awkward chuckle, and reached and scratched his head as if her were trying to downplay some kind of nervousness.

"Well, if that's the case, you should hurry on to the ferry. I'll let your mother know that you left to meet up with Dawn. Good luck, m'boy!"

"Thanks, Professor, will do!" Having only just enough time to get those words out, Ash bolted for the door. An instant later, there was no trace of him.

"That boy sure can move," Professor Oak quipped, a bit shocked.

As Ash sprinted towards the dock, he could see it clearly: a pristine white boat with a sky-blue trim. It looked more like a luxury liner than the simple ferry he had taken to Sinnoh his first time four years ago. As he arrived, he showed the ferryman his ticket that Professor Oak had given him and quickly boarded. After wandering through narrow hallway after narrow hallway, he found his way to the deck just in time to see the ship set sail. As it accelerated, he gazed at his house and watched it disappear into the horizon.

"Another journey," Ash muttered to himself. "I guess that's the last time I'll see home for a while. I can't wait to start."

As he stared into the blue expanse, his thoughts turned to his upcoming journey. It had been a full four years since he had seen Dawn in person, at the dock where his and Dawn's last journey had ended. Even though they talked frequently by phone, he couldn't help but notice his stomach tighten. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself and recited what he was supposed to do upon arriving in Hearthome city.

"So, Professor Oak told me that Nurse Joy had my ticket…and I also know Dawn will be there, too. Dawn knew about the Obella region, so I bet she knows what to do next after that! Guess all there is to do is wait to arrive."

A short while later, a voice came over the PA, "Attention passengers, we have arrived at our destination at Hearthome City". Not giving any second thought, Ash quickly scurried down the hallways, squeezing through the crowd until he met the fresh Sinnoh breeze at the dock. He looked around, trying to assess his location and to find the Pokémon center. Having not been to Hearthome City for so long, Ash meandered for a minute until something caught his eye; however, it was not a Pokémon center.

"Ash!" a distant voice hollered. He quickly spun around to see a girl with long navy hair, pinned up on the sides with small gold barrettes. In her arms, she was holding a small, blue penguin-like creature with gleaming black eyes and a small yellow beak.

Ash instantly realized the familiar face. "Dawn! And Piplup!"

"Oh Ash, I knew you'd get lost!" Dawn teased.

"Oh, why's that?" Ash growled playfully.

"Some things just never change, you know!"

"Hah, I guess," Ash conceded. "So, what's with this Obella region and stuff? And the Pokémon center! I need to get my train ticket!"

"No need to worry! I have it all sorted out!" Dawn replied, flashing a small piece of paper. "Here's your ticket. I got it from Nurse Joy for you, since I _knew_ you'd get lost. And as for the Obella region, what I wanted to tell you earlier was that, well…there is a Grand Festival coming up in the summer, so when I heard the Obella League was being held around the same time, I just _had_ to tell Professor Oak!"

"Wait, you told him about it?" Ash stammered in disbelief.

"He was going to tell you about it anyway, but he didn't know about the Grand Festival. I thought we could, uh, head over there together, maybe?" Dawn asked, batting her eyes pleadingly.

"Like old times, right?" Ash replied.

"Like old times!" Dawn asserted with a giggle.

"That'd be great, Dawn!"

"Well, then, we should get over there soon. It'd be horrible if you got lost and missed the train, you know!" Dawn winked at Ash, nudging him in the side.

"As if I'd get lost that much," Ash joked. "Hey, race you!" With that, he took off down the street.

"Last one's a rotten Exeggcute!" Dawn yelled, running after him.

The furious race to the station resulted in a tie. Exhausted, they stopped to catch their breath. As he regained his composure, Ash looked up at the massive building. The finely-detailed pillars holding the monument gave way to an arch that draped over the entire structure. A mythical Dragon Pokémon, carved in stone, could be seen at the top of the arch, seemingly looking down over the town. Having never been to the station before, Ash looked up in amazement over the majesty of the building.

"Wow," Ash stammered.

"Well, this is it," Dawn stated, unfazed by the majesty of the building. "Once we get inside, the train is right there. Let's go!"

"Alright, let's get going."

Ash and Dawn boarded the train, heading down the narrow central hallway and moved towards the back of the train. Pikachu, who had been napping on Ash's shoulder most of the day, suddenly sprung to life and jumped onto one of the seats and curled back up for another nap. Ash sat next to Pikachu, and Dawn sat on the other seat, next to the aisle.

"When will we arrive?" inquired Ash.

"Obella isn't far from Sinnoh, so it won't take long at all." Dawn replied. "We'll be there by lunchtime."

"Awesome, I'm starvin'," Ash stated eagerly.

No more than a half hour had passed when the mountainous countryside broke away to reveal a lush meadow that was visible for miles. The grass was permeated with elegant pastel flowers. Fluttering butterfly Pokémon—Butterfree and Beautifly-could be seen floating around the meadow as far as the eye could see.

"It's…so beautiful!" Dawn whispered, starstruck.

"It really is…" murmured Ash breathlessly.

"This means we're close to Grassebb Town, Ash!"

The meadow surrounded a quaint train station. Though it seemed like an odd place for a train station, the antique aura of the station only seemed to enhance the town's simple beauty. As the train coasted to a stop, the other passengers departed the train, with Ash and Dawn being the last to get off. For as empty as the train seemed when they first boarded, the crowd of passengers looked misleadingly large. The passengers all started to make their way to town, when in the distance, one of the passengers caught Ash's eye. Mesmerized, Dawn peered over to see what Ash was looking at until she realized she knew exactly what he was thinking.

"Ash, is that-?" Dawn stuttered.

Without so much as an acknowledgment, Ash hurriedly walked to catch up with the crowd. When he caught up to the passenger he had been following, he couldn't contain his excitement.

"Is that-?" Ash shouted. The passenger turned around to reveal a brown-haired girl about their age. The girl flinched.

"Is…that…Ash?" the girl said hesitating between each word.

Ash did a double-take, wondering if the girl was really who he thought she was.

"…May?"


	2. Chapter 2

**2**

"So what are you doing here? What have you been up to? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US YOU WERE COMING?" Dawn wailed. If her temper had gotten any hotter, steam might have billowed from her ears.

"Hah, sorry, I guess I got caught up in the thought of an adventure, and I kind of rushed off and didn't tell anyone!" replied May. Her face was turning a pale rose from the shock of Dawn's outburst.

"Yeah, that's kind of how I was when I heard about this place," chimed Ash.

"Okay, I guess," sighed Dawn in an exasperated tone.

"I guess all those travels with you rubbed off on me, Ash," May teased.

"So, Dawn…May," Ash said with a pause. "Is there a lab here in town?"

"Actually, yeah, Ash." May responded. "Professor Fern's lab isn't far from here."

"Cool! I wonder if he has any cool starter Pokémon to show us!"

May and Dawn quickly looked at each other, sharing an awkward stare.

"Uhm, Ash…" Dawn stammered.

"Professor Fern is…uh…" May continued, fumbling her words.

"She's kind of…a girl," Dawn finished.

"She's a—?" Ash howled, but was interrupted by a tall, slender woman walking up to them.

"Were you looking for the Pokémon lab?" asked the woman jovially.

"Why, yes, Ma'am," replied May. "Are you…?"

"Why, yes, I'm Professor Fern. Pleased to meet you!"

"Pleased to meet you too, Professor. I'm May. This is Dawn, and this is—" May looked over and saw Ash, his face getting beet red as he continued to slouch in embarrassment. "Awkward," she mouthed to herself.

Professor Fern chuckled. "No worries!" she said. "Wouldn't be the first time that's happened!" As she reassured him, Ash started to regain his former composure. "If I'm not mistaken, you're Ash, right?"

"Why, yeah," Ash murmured. "How'd you know?"

"Professor Oak told me you would be coming, so I headed out to see if you all came on the train that just arrived. Feel free to come with me to my lab."

Fern showed them the way to a tall, dated building. The laboratory was lined with bookshelves overstocked with old books. The ceiling was so high that it looked like it might touch the clouds. Clear glass panels made up the ceiling, and the sun was shining through. It felt more like a greenhouse than a laboratory.

"Alright, first things first. I want to show this to you," Fern explained. She unfolded a large piece of paper. "This is a map of the Obella region. As you can see," she continued, pointing to one of the edges of the paper. "The Obella region is not far from the outskirts of the Sinnoh region. As a result, you are going to find a lot of Pokémon with which you may already be familiar."

"Oh, cool!" exclaimed Dawn. "So we'll see a lot of Pokémon that we're already used to?"

"Correct!" replied Fern. "Though, there are a few new species you may not yet know of, the majority of Pokémon you will find, you will have known from your travels in Sinnoh."

"Do you have any starter Pokémon you could show us?" asked Ash eagerly.

"I don't see why not, Ash," Fern answered. "Here are the three starter Pokémon that we use here in Obella." She reached into a nearby desk drawer and pulled out three Pokéballs. "First, Calfern, I choose you!" She tossed one of the balls into the air, and with a bright flash, it burst open to reveal a small cow-like creature with leaves branching from its horns and tail. Upon seeing the crowd around it, its huge eyes glistened as if it was going to cry.

"Awh, you're so cute!" exclaimed Dawn, trying to pick it up. Startled, it jumped behind Fern's feet.

"No offense, this one's kind of shy," explained Fern. "Here, how about the next one? Fleel, come on out!" With a flash identical to the last, out came a snake-like creature with a collar of flames around its neck. Its tail glowed a faint red, giving off a puff of smoke.

"That's a neat one," Ash declared enthusiastically. Fleel stood up a little straighter, giving off a smug expression.

"And now, the last one, come out, Pontode!" Like the other two, this Pokéball revealed a small, warty frog-like creature that stood on two legs. Its black beady eyes glistened in the sunlight.

"It looks kind of like a Poliwag!" shrieked May. "…But uglier."

At that moment, Pontode shot May a toxic stare, launching a ball of mud from its mouth that hit May squarely in the face. May wiped her eyes and noted the three new Pokémon laughing at her.

"Looks like you have a new buddy, May," jested Ash. The room burst into a raucous laughter.

"Well, those are the Pokémon we give to new trainers to start their journey," Fern stated in a matter-of-fact manner. "I see you two have your Pokémon…but May, you already have Pokémon with you, don't you?"

"Yeah, I have a Skitty," May chimed.

"I guess you should be alright, then. One last thing: I have new Pokédexes for everyone!" Fern announced. "May, Dawn, Ash, here you go!"

"Why, thanks, Professor!" said the three in perfect unison.

"Enjoy yourselves out there, and good luck!" called Fern as the three walked out of the lab, ready to hit the trail.

As Ash, Dawn, and May ventured away from the lab and out of the town, three masked figures crept around the side of the lab. Though their faces were completely hidden, one was a tall woman with long red hair, pulled back, that extended all the way to her waist. Another of the figures could not have measured much more than a foot tall. The third was much less distinguishable compared to the other two, but was carrying a large cloth sack that was filled to the brim.

"How much farther to base?" asked the woman.

"Quiet, Jess," replied the figure holding the sack. "Let's keep going."

As they rounded the lab, the shortest figure caught a glimpse of the silhouettes of Dawn, Ash, and May as they passed beyond the town gates. He paused, wiped his eyes to make sure he was not imagining things, and took one last look.

"Psst, guys," whispered the short figure. "You won't believe what I'm seein'."

"What is it, Meowth?" snapped the figure holding the sack.

"Over there!"

The sack-holding figure looked over where Meowth was pointing. Out of a mixture of shock and disbelief, he nearly dropped the sack. He ripped off his mask, revealing a young man with long, lavender hair.

"I don't believe it," said the man with a dropped jaw. "Jessie, look over there."

The woman turned to face the same direction as the other two. She started to shriek, but the man clasped his hand over her mouth.

"This must be our lucky day!" Jessie whispered sharply. "It must be the twerps!"

"How long has it been since we last saw them?" the man inquired.

"Years!" Meowth replied.

"Do you know what I'm thinking, James?" Jessie asked.

"What is it, Jessie?" James asked cautiously.

"During these last few years, we've made quite a name for ourselves stealing Pokémon without twerp interference," Jessie asserted. "Using what we've learned, can you imagine the spoils we would get if we were to actually catch Pikachu this time?"

"Can you imagine how much that Pikachu will spoil our spoils if we get caught by the twerps again? There's a reason we've never succeeded," James snapped.

"You risk big, you win big, I say," Meowth replied confidently. "We're not the same losers we were back then! Besides, it'll do us good to get them goodie-two-shoes out of our way once and for all!"

"For a stupid cat, your logic is impeccable, Meowth! All aboard the catch-a-Pikachu bandwagon!" James exclaimed.

"Catch a Pika, earn our keep-a!" Jessie, James, and Meowth rejoiced in unison.

"—Excuse me, is somebody there?" a distant voice called.

"Oof! We spoke too soon! Let's get out of here!" James shouted. Team Rocket, blast off!

Not a moment later, they bolted away and out of sight.

The several hours that had elapsed since Ash, Dawn, and May left Professor Fern's lab left them wandering a heavily wooded forest. Feeling the effects of the already exhausting journey, Dawn started to slump to her knees.

"Dawn, are you okay?" asked Ash, his voice filled with concern.

"Yeah, no need to worry," answered Dawn weakly. "But is there a Pokémon center nearby? I need a break."

"Let me check," replied May, who was fidgeting with a device she pulled from her pack. "There should be a Pokémon center just beyond these woods. We can rest there."

"Alright." Dawn pulled herself to her feet. "Let's get going."

A few minutes later, the three came to a clearing in the forest. In the horizon, they could see a Pokémon center at the top of a hill.

"It's right there!" May cried.

"Come on, let's get there quick!" Ash shouted. Within a matter of minutes, they arrived at the entry door. Ash firmly seized the handle, and the heavy door creaked open.

Inside the center, Ash gazed around a large room that resembled a hospital lobby. Against the far wall, there was a young lady in a nurse's cap working at a computer stationed at a tall counter. She peered over and saw him approach.

"Hello, and welcome to the Route 301 Pokémon center," the lady cheerfully chimed. "How may I help you?"

"Nurse Joy, is there a chance you have a room available?" asked Ash. "My friend here, Dawn…she's really exhausted and could use some rest," he continued, gesturing towards Dawn, who was standing directly behind him.

"Say, you do look rather tired, Dawn," Nurse Joy replied with a concerned expression on her face. "I'll set you three up with some beds right away," she finished, and walked out of the room. Several minutes later, she returned to the lobby. "Everything's set up, so feel free to check out your rooms. They're the first three down the hall, on the left."

"Thank you, Nurse Joy," all three gleamed in unison, and they bounded down the hall.

Dawn's room was the first room. She swung the door wide open and dove into the bed. "This bed feels so good!" she exclaimed, squeezing the pillow in her arms. "I could go to sleep right now!"

One room over, May paced around her room. "This is really quite nice." She walked over to a desk in the corner and laid her pack out. "Hey, Ash!" she called. "How is your room?"

"Sweet, May," Ash called back. "How's yours?"

"It's great! How about yours, Dawn?"

There was no response. May walked over and peeked into Dawn's room. Dawn was fast asleep.

Ash walked over, stopping just behind May. He glanced over her shoulder at the snoring Dawn. "She sure found her favorite spot, huh?"

"Hah, yeah, no kidding!" May laughed.

Suddenly Nurse Joy entered into the hallway. "Did you find everything alright?"

Both May and Ash turned their heads to face Dawn. Curious, Joy looked in the same direction.

"Well, I guess that answers that!" Joy giggled. "If you need anything, I'll be in the lobby. Feel free to spend the night here." Nurse Joy turned back down the hall and through the doorway.

"Thanks again, Nurse Joy!" May called.

Further down the hall, something caught Ash's attention. "Hey, May," Ash called to her. "Check this out." May wandered over to see the object of Ash's interest. At the very end of the hallway, there was a small poster on the wall.

"A poster?" May said curiously. "For a Pokémon Contest!"

"Where is it?" Ash asked.

"It says in Sungleam Town," May stated. She quickly snuck to her room, grabbing her pack. As she walked back, she dug through her pack and pulled out a small device. "Let's see, according to this map, Sungleam Town is the next town," she said, putting the device back in her pack. "The best part is, it's not far from here!"

"Alright!" Exclaimed Ash. "Your and Dawn's first contest!"

"Yeah, yeah!" Chanted May. "I'm excited already!"

"We'll need to get you some new Pokémon," commented Ash.

"Yeah," acknowledged May. Her excited expression started to wane. "That's true…"

"Why don't we start now, while Dawn's getting some rest?" suggested Ash.

"Great idea! Let's go!"

"Yeah! Come on, Pikachu!" Ash hollered as he ran towards the door.

As the two bolted into the woods next to the center, off in the distance, a shrub started to shake. Out from behind it jumped three figures: Jessie, James, and Meowth.

"It's a twerp, over there!" Shouted Jessie, pointing near the Pokémon center.

"Let's high-tail it after them, pronto!" Meowth barked.

"Aye, aye!" Cried James, quickly running off towards the Pokémon center.

Meanwhile, Ash and May dashed through a lightly wooded area, stopping at a small stream. Out of the corner of her eye, May caught a glimpse of something. Several yards downstream, she spotted a small, black wolf-like creature.

"Over there!" cried May. The creature spun to face her, glaring at her with blood-red eyes. "I wonder what it is?"

Ash quickly whipped out the Pokédex he got from Professor Fern. He stroked several buttons in quick succession, and a small computerized voice started to emanate from the Pokédex.

"Snuppy, the Tinywolf Pokémon. Snuppy tend to travel in packs. When threatened, they will fearlessly hunt down any intruder."

"So that's a Snuppy, eh?" said May quietly. "It's so cute. I'm going to catch it!"

Snuppy took a step back, baring its teeth.

"Uh, May," Ash stuttered hesitantly. "Didn't Dexter say…that it tends to travel in…packs?"

"Uh…yeah," May whimpered fearfully. "That means—"May glanced over to see dozens of Snuppy lining the woods, hundreds of blood-red eyes staring.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, May?" Ash stammered timidly.

"I..uh, I think so."

"RUN!" Ash and May screamed, taking off back through the woods. The pack of Snuppy bolted after them, howling and barking.

Ash and May continued racing through the woods, desperate to make it back to the Pokémon center in one piece. May glanced back to see the pack of feral Snuppy gaining on them.

"Faster, Ash!" May shrieked. "I'm too young to die!"

"Almost…there!" yelled Ash, straining for every bit of speed his legs could muster.

As they burst through the last of the woods, Ash heard a loud crash. Startled, he turned around to see smoke billowing from the path they had just crossed. Suddenly a large hot air balloon rose from the cloude of smoke. Jessie, James and Meowth were all aboard.

"What's going on?" screamed Ash.

"Why bother asking 'who goes there?'" Jessie taunted.

"Just try and find out, if you dare!" James mocked, trading lines with Jessie.

"Presenting an ever imminent threat!"

"I must say this time, your match, you've met!"

"The fairest flame, Jessie!"

"And the cold converse, I am James!"

"Meowth's my name," Meowth teased.

"The baddest bunch under the sun!" Jessie piped.

"We're team Rocket!" James proclaimed.

"Causing trouble..." Meowth interrupted.

"…Three for one!" Jessie, James, and Meowth cackled together.

Ash dropped his jaw in disbelief. "It can't be!" he yelled.

"Oh, why not?" Jessie said mockingly. "We've been gone a while making quite the name for ourselves and Team Rocket, so why not take a break to chase you twerps around and bag us a Pikachu? It'll only earn us even more fame and fortune!"

"Don't you know it's only going to end the same way as the last _million_ or so times you've tried to give us grief?" snapped May angrily.

"But oh, you silly twerps haven't met up with our newest line of gadgets," taunted Meowth. "Feast your eyes on this!" Meowth pulled out a small remote and mashed several buttons. A large net shot from the base of the balloon and started to sweep up the pack of Snuppy that had congregated below it.

"No, Snuppy!" May cried. She reached back and pulled a Pokéball from her belt. "We'll save you! Skitty, come out and use Doubleslap to launch Pikachu onto the net!" As she hurled the capsule into the sky, Pikachu leaped from Ash's shoulder next to the soaring Pokéball. As it exploded, releasing Skitty, Skitty flung its tail in Pikachu's direction, sending it barreling towards the net of Snuppy.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Ash screamed, and as Pikachu neared the net, its tail glowed a hot white.

Pikachu swung its tail in a sweeping arc and sliced the net cleanly open, releasing all of the Snuppy that had been trapped moments before. They scattered in every direction for safety.

"Alright, now, Pikachu, use Electro Ball!" Ash commanded once more. A glowing ball of energy formed at the tip of Pikachu's tail, and with a mighty swing, Pikachu hurled the orb towards the hot air balloon.

Realizing the potential for a powerful combination attack, May jumped back into the fray. "Skitty, use Blizzard now!" Skitty inhaled deeply, and when it exhaled, it launched a fierce beam of snow and ice into the sky. The storm soon matched Pikachu's floating Electro Ball in pace, and the two attacks cleanly collided with the balloon, tearing it to shreds. As the air escaped from the balloon, it flew wildly through the air. From the distance, everyone could hear Team Rocket's frantic crying.

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" A moment later, there was no sight of the malevolent trio.

May ran over to the crowd of frightened Snuppy, she crouched down to get to the pack of Snuppy's eye level. "Are you all okay?" she asked in a motherly tone. They all looked back at her thankfully and let out a collective howl. Behind them, the door to the Pokémon center flew open, revealing a frantic Dawn sprinting towards the group.

"What was that? Is everyone okay?" Dawn blurted. "I woke up when I heard a huge explosion!"

"We're fine, Dawn," reassured May. "But Team Rocket…they're back, and they came to steal Pikachu and all these Snuppy!"

Dawn let out a shocked gasp. "That's terrible! But it's good to see you're alright."

One of the Snuppy walked out from the crowd and bumped May on the leg. She turned to face it, and at that moment, Snuppy let out a soft whimper.

"Why, you're welcome, Snuppy!" she exclaimed, reaching down and petting it on the head.

"Say, May, isn't that the Snuppy we found at the stream?" asked Ash. Snuppy let out an excited bark.

"Haha, May, I think it wants to battle you!" Dawn asserted.

"Oh, is that true?" asked May, turning to Snuppy. It winked gleefully at her. "If it's a battle you want, it's a battle you'll get!" said May with a determined stare. Within the blink of an eye, Snuppy bolted back several paces and stopped to face her, its eyes locking onto hers.

May reached for her Pokéball, flinging it squarely between Snuppy and herself. "Skitty, come on out!"

Skitty leaped from its Pokéball and landed, locking eyes with the opposing Snuppy before even touching the ground. A tense silence fell over the field before it was abruptly broken when Snuppy charged across the field, gunning straight for Skitty. Skitty gracefully dodged Snuppy's vicious Tackle before turning to launch an assault of its own.

"Skitty, use Doubleslap!" commanded May. With an intense burst of speed, Skitty lunged towards Snuppy, swinging its twin tails in a wild full-circle, landing a clean hit across Snuppy's jaw. It continued its assault, each subsequent hit landing with more and more intensity.

"Alright, follow up with Blizzard!" barked an even more determined May. Immediately after landing its final Doubleslap, Skitty exhaled its trademark gale, catching Snuppy off guard and freezing it in its tracks.

"Alright, since it can't move, finish up with Tackle!" With even more speed than its initial onslaught, Skitty charged at Snuppy, colliding with Snuppy's chest with a deafening crash and sending it flailing back before it smashed into the ground and skidded to a halt. Seizing her opportunity, May reached back for an empty Pokéball and threw it towards the dazed Snuppy.

"Go, Pokéball!" May cried as she hurled the capsule towards Snuppy. With a faint click, it nicked Snuppy on the head, engulfing it in a glowing red light, which promptly whisked into the Pokéball. The capture seemed as inevitable as it did textbook, but May knew she was not out of the woods yet. Slowly, the ball started to vibrate. Then, it started to hum with a faint pulse.

Once. Twice. Three times it moved.

Four times.

Five.

Finally, on the sixth hum, the Pokéball clicked, stopping in its tracks. May ran over and picked up the still Pokéball and raised it high in the air in a triumphant thrust.

"I did it! I caught a Snuppy! My first Pokémon in the Obella region!" May cried.

"Great job, May, that's awesome!" exclaimed the equally excited Dawn.

"That was a great catch, May!" exalted Ash.

"Thank you both!" May gleamed. "Boy, that was exhausting, though. How about we go back to the Pokémon center and call it a day?"

"Yeah, me too. I'm wiped," moaned Ash.

"But I _just_ got up!" Whined Dawn half-jokingly.

"Well, I guess you'll just be extra rested come tomorrow!" teased Ash. "Let's go inside. We'll be in Sungleam Town tomorrow, and after that, your first contest! You gotta be in top form for that, you know!"

"Hmm, alright. Sungleam town, here we come!" Dawn shouted, running through the Pokémon center door.


	3. Chapter 3

**3**

"May, are we lost again?"

"No, no, no, Ash, not at all!"

"But we've been walking around in circles for days!"

"Come on, you two, can't we finish this _after_ we reach Sungleam Town?"

"Ash! Dawn! Look over there!"

Ash, May, and Dawn wandered upon a small break in the endless forest they had spent the last three days futilely trying to escape. Passing through the trees, they reached a sparkling lake that glistened in the sun that shined down through the cloudless sky. Off to the side, there was a small cottage that appeared to be several generations old.

"Wow, it's so beautiful!" exclaimed May, running towards the water's edge.

"Wait up, May!" cried Ash, running after her.

Dawn started to follow Ash, but something off in the distance caught her attention. Far off on the opposite side of the lake, she saw a Fleel slowly making its way into the forest. Upon a further look, she noticed its body covered in bruises and dirt. Ignoring Ash and May, she snuck past them and wandered into the forest. As she disappeared through the dense foliage, May realized that Dawn was missing.

"Hey, Ash," May said with a hesitant pause. "Dawn's not here."

Ash frantically looked around, glancing at the entrance from where they first arrived, turning abruptly towards where Dawn had left. He heard the faint rustling of leaves. "Over there!" he barked.

Meanwhile, in the forest, Dawn sprinted through the dense forest, trying to catch up with the injured Fleel. Far in front of her, she could see a rocky cliff mark the end of the forest. At the cliff's base, she could see something lying motionless on the ground.

"Fleel!" Dawn shrieked, kneeling at its side. Fleel felt cool to the touch, unlike what she had expected from a fire Pokémon. "This is bad," Dawn moaned. Suddenly Dawn heard a thunderous crash. She looked up to see two Graveler perched on the top of the cliff. Scared, Dawn slowly backed away from the cliff, but the Graveler didn't look so willing to let her escape. With an angry roar, they leaped from the cliff, landing mere feet from Dawn and Fleel. Paralyzed with fright, Dawn let out a piercing scream that echoed throughout the woods.

Elsewhere in the woods, Ash abruptly stopped. "May, did you hear that?"

"Dawn. We need to hurry!" May cried, taking off through the woods.

Back near the cliff, Dawn bolted through the woods, carrying Fleel in her arms. Piplup was clinging to her shoulder, trying to make the best of the little room it had to hold on for dear life. She dipped and darted through the trees until she caught a faint glimpse of Ash and May in the distance. Using the little air she had left in her lungs, she screamed at the top of her lungs, "Ash! May! Run!"

Knowing the possibilities of what could be wrong, they obliged without question. The three backtracked through the woods, reaching the lake ahead of the stampeding horde of Graveler, where they saw an elderly woman standing at the front door of the old cottage.

"Children! Inside!" the old woman barked. She slammed the door behind them just as the Graveler rolled past the lake, unaware of their location.

"Ma'am, thank you so much!" Dawn said, grateful that the woman had just saved them from imminent danger.

"You're welcome, my child," the woman gleamed, showing a toothless grin. "Now, what brings you here?"

"Well, you see, we were lost and—" Ash started to say.

"This," Dawn interrupted with a mixed expression of worry and horror on her face. Ash and May looked down at the Fleel she was holding, and their faces quickly turned to shock. "What can we do to help this poor thing?"

"Hmm, I see," the old woman sighed, observing Fleel's wounds. "Those Graveler must have done this."

"But isn't there something we can do?" Dawn pleaded impatiently.

"Oh, yes, yes. Don't you worry, lass. That Fleel will be just fine. I will fix it up with some medicine, and then all it will need is a good night's rest."

"That's great!" Dawn exclaimed. She handed Fleel to the old woman. "By the way, I'm Dawn. These are my friends, Ash and May."

"Pleased to meet you! My name is Clarissa," the old woman replied gleefully with another toothless grin.

Over the next few hours, Dawn intently watched Clarissa apply bandages to Fleel's wounds and treat it with medication. A short while later, Clarissa retreated to a dimly-lit room and placed Fleel on a bed lined with blankets and cushions. As she left the room, Dawn approached her.

"Would it…be okay…if I visited Fleel?" Dawn asked tentatively.

"I think that would be fine, Dawn," Clarissa replied.

Dawn walked into the room and placed a small chair at the foot of Fleel's bed. She sat there for hours, watching Fleel sleep through the night. Later in the night, Ash and May peeked into the room where Fleel and Dawn were. Dawn was fast asleep, her head laying alongside Fleel's.

"Aww, that's so sweet," May quietly chimed, careful not to wake Dawn or Fleel.

"She's gotten really close to Fleel," Ash said.

"Yeah, I know how she feels," May murmured. "Remember back in Hoenn, when we were first starting out, how we found that Swablu?"

"Yeah."

"How I felt then, staying at its side for days, caring for it…I bet that's how she feels."

"But what about when it's healed? Won't she have to release it back into its home?"

"Yeah. That's what worries me. It's so easy to get attached, but when the time comes…it's so hard to leave."

"That is true, dears." Ash and May turned around to see Clarissa standing right behind them. "But she will have done something that will change both their lives forever, and that is what is important."

"I…guess," May said, sadness permeating her voice.

"Don't you worry, May. Dawn will be just fine," reassured Clarissa.

Early the next morning, Dawn was awakened by a tickling sensation. She opened her eyes to see Fleel curiously flicking her with its long tongue.

A warm smile quickly crossed Dawn's face. "Good morning, Fleel!" she greeted. "Are you feeling better?"

Fleel let out an enthusiastic cry. Its eyes gleamed with joy.

"Hey, since you're feeling a lot better, don't you think it's time we took off your bandages?" Carefully, she unwrapped the white cloth that covered most of Fleel's body. To both her and Fleel's surprise, nearly all of the bruising and abrasions that had covered Fleel's body the night before had completely healed. As Dawn discarded the used bandaging, Clarissa walked into the room.

"It looks like my medicine worked wonders," Clarissa gloated. "Fleel, how are you feeling, my dear?"

"Fleel's doing great, Clarissa, thanks to you!" Dawn chimed eagerly.

"That's good news, Dawn. Fleel should be ready to leave today."

The light in Dawn's face instantly vanished. "Leave?" Her voice dropped to a somber mutter. "You're right."

Fleel sensed what Dawn was thinking. Its cheerful expression faded to match Dawn's. Behind Clarissa, Ash and May entered the room, instantly locking onto Dawn's dejected frown.

"Dawn…" May paused, unsure of what to say.

"It's okay, I'm ready," Dawn said hesitantly, feigning a smile. "Fleel, let's go."

Ash, Dawn, May, Clarissa, and Fleel promptly headed outside by the lakeside. As Dawn set Fleel down on the grass, Fleel's eyes glistened as tears started to form.

"Don't be sad, Fleel. I know we'll meet again soon," Dawn assured. "I'll see you…soon." As she finished her final words, her voice cracked. Her eyes began to water, knowing that she and the Fleel she had come to love would soon be parted. "I'm going to miss you…Love you."

"Wait!" Clarissa bellowed. "I should have realized this long ago. Dawn, you've shown me that you care deeply for this Fleel, and it cares deeply for you, too. With the Graveler around, it would never be a sure thing that Fleel would be safe. But, seeing how you cared for Fleel all this time made me think. If Fleel wishes it, why not bring Fleel with you on your journey? I could not think of a better outcome than this."

The tears in Fleel's eyes were replaced by streams pouring down its face. A massive smile reached across its face. Fleel cried out in excitement as it sprung into Dawn's arms.

"Fleel!" Dawn cried, hugging it tightly. She loosened her grip, looking it in the eyes. "Would you…like to come with me?" Fleel looked at Dawn longingly as it emitted an excited squeak.

Dawn wrapped Fleel in a firm embrace again. "I'm so glad!"

Ash, May, and Clarissa continued to watch Dawn and Fleel's emotional celebration. "This reminds me of when I was a young girl," Clarissa whispered, wiping her eyes. "Dawn and Fleel are going to be something special."

"They will," said May quietly, smiling.

"Hey, Dawn!" shouted Ash, trying to get her attention.

Dawn paused for a moment before looking back at him. "Hey, Ash!"

"It's almost time to go!"

"Right! Fleel, let's go!" Dawn beckoned as she darted for the cottage to retrieve her belongings.

As Ash, Dawn, and May raided their things from her cottage so they could leave, Clarissa walked out to the edge of the lake.

"Those children," she muttered softly, looking to the horizon. "They remind me so much of myself."


	4. Chapter 4

As Ash, May, and Dawn exhaustedly carried themselves through the forest they had been hopelessly navigating for weeks, it seemed to them that they might never reach Sungleam Town. Just when all hope seemed to disappear in the depths of the trees, Dawn peered off to the side, and off in the distance, she spotted the very thing they had been hoping for.

"It's…here!" Dawn cried, sprinting towards where she was looking. As she stopped abruptly in an opening of the forest, she paused to catch her breath. She was staring at the middle of a bustling town lined with small buildings and shops that seemed to stretch for miles.

"We're here!" exclaimed May excitedly! "Sungleam Town!"

"We can get registered for our first contest!" Dawn shrieked.

"Let's go to the Pokémon center!" May shouted, running off without a second thought. Dawn bolted after her, closely trailing her all the way to the Pokémon center off in the distance.

"Man, they sure take off without a warning," Ash muttered to himself. "While they're doing that, guess I might as well take a look around town."

Ash wandered the town's streets. For a place called a "town", it sure seemed more like a city. For what seemed like forever, he passed by flower shops, candy shops, Pokémon food shops, shops of every variety. Suddenly he stopped at a building that stood out from the small buildings that lined the town. This one was a bit taller but much wider. It could have covered a half-block if it had been placed elsewhere in the town.

"What…is this?" Ash thought to himself. Around the corner, he saw May and Dawn walking towards him, albeit with much more restraint than when they had first arrived.

"Hey, Ash!" Dawn called to him. She looked up at the massive building. "What's this?"

Dawn turned around to see a strange man walk up to them. "This, young lady, is the Sungleam Research Institute, or SRI for short."

"The SRI?" Dawn asked, perplexed.

"Why, yes. They conduct all sorts of groundbreaking experiments on Pokémon studies in there. Why, some of the leading Pokémon evolution studies in the entire Obella region happen right here!"

"Pokémon evolution?" Ash said, puzzled. "That sounds important."

"Why, yes. I hear they are undergoing a lengthy experiment right now," the man added. "I can't say for sure what they're doing, but the place has been locked down to the public for today."

"Aw, man," Ash moaned. "I totally wanted to go check it out…"

"Hey, Ash, I bet it'll be open some other time!" Dawn cheered. As she finished, everyone's stomach let out a collective growl.

"Hah, I guess we can take a look at a little somethin' else first," Ash said jokingly. "Let's go see where we can get something to eat."

May and Dawn nodded. "I'm with you there!" they chimed together.

The three walked down the block, stopping at a restaurant that was conveniently located right next to the town's Pokémon center. May looked up at the sign in sheer excitement.

"A noodle shop! Hey, Ash, Dawn, can we go here, please, please, please, pretty please with Cherubi on top?" May begged.

Ash and Dawn looked at each other and laughed. "Sure, why not," Ash replied. "If it's food, I don't mind where we go!"

Once inside, Ash, May, and Dawn took a seat up at a high counter that looked like it belonged in a bar. They looked carefully at the counter menus and placed their orders. Shortly after, their meals had arrived and they quickly ate.

"Yummy!" May exclaimed, patting her stomach. "That was soooo good!"

"It really was!" Dawn replied eagerly.

"A hot meal after that much traveling always hits the spot for me!" Ash said, slouching in his seat. "So, what are we gonna do now?"

Dawn and May quickly turned, shooting him a scowling stare as if he had just said the dumbest thing in the world. Given the context, this probably _was_ the dumbest thing in the world to say.

"Okay, okay, I get it," Ash mumbled, cowering in his seat. "The day before the contest, you wanna train, I get it."

Dawn let out a small sigh. "As if he had to ask."

May chimed up, "Say, I think I saw a field nearby where we could all get some training in. I think it'd help us all with our upcoming battles."

"That's great, May!" Ash bellowed. He started to stand up. "Pikachu and I could get some training in too! What are we waitin' for, let's go!"

Unfazed by his restlessness, May and Dawn climbed out of their seats and calmly headed after Ash, setting for their prospective training grounds.

The grounds were not far from the restaurant from where they just came. No more than a block away, they arrived at a wide open field surrounded by tall grass. Dawn ran clear to the far end of the field, and May and Ash remained on the near side of the field.

May reached for her belt and pulled out one of her Pokéballs. "Skitty, come out!" With an eager cry, she was ready to start her pre-contest training.

"Hey, May!" Dawn called from across the field. "Want to have a practice battle?"

"Sure!" May called back. "Skitty, use Ta—"

May's orders were interrupted by a deafening crash. Ash, May, and Dawn all turned to face the direction of the blast. Smoke poured out from the giant building they had stopped at upon entering the town.

"It's the Research Institute!" Dawn cried.

"Let's go check it out!" Ash barked. He bolted off in the direction of the billowing cloud.

"Ash, wait!" May screamed after him. "We don't know what's there!"

Ignoring her, Ash continued for the Sungleam Research Institute. May silently beckoned to Dawn, knowing they had no choice but to chase him. After a few intense minutes, the three arrived at the building. Employees of the institute could be seen running out of the building in terror. Around the back of the building, Ash, Dawn, and May saw a large vehicle speed off into the distance, heading for a hill on the horizon.

"Let's follow 'em," commanded Ash sharply.

The three sneaked around the building, following the vehicle's tracks quietly as to not be seen. On they continued until they finally reached the narrow hill. Steep cliffs trailed off to each side. Tire tracks spanned the entirety of the hill's incline.

"What could they be up to…" Ash growled angrily. He started to rush up the hill, but May grabbed him.

"Careful, Ash," May warned. Together they cautiously headed up the hill.

Up near the top of the hill, they saw the vehicle they had been chasing stopped at a high cliff. This must have been where they planned to escape, but it seemed as if they had gotten lost and reached a dead end. Out of the vehicle popped several men dressed in dark jackets. One of them had a large cloak, and his face was concealed by a heavy visor. Ash, May, and Dawn quickly ducked behind a nearby boulder for cover as the men started down the hill, but they were too slow; their cover had been blown.

"Who goes there!" one of the men shouted. "Show yourselves!"

The three slowly stood up from behind the boulder. "What are you doing?" snapped Ash.

"That is none of your concern, child," the man shot back.

"What did you do to the Research Institute?" Dawn demanded.

"Persistent little pests," the man in the visor groaned. "Well, if you must know, the Research Institute has been gathering a rather extensive collection of stones. We know some of those stones can be quite valuable, so we opted to, ahem, _borrow_ them for a while. It's nothing the likes of children should be concerned about, so I recommend you leave while you still have the opportunity."

"I don't take orders from thieves!" Ash barked. "Give those stones back NOW!"

"It pains me so to do this. Haxorus, please dispatch them." The man in the visor quickly grabbed a Pokéball from his belt and thrust it forward, releasing the large, yellow, lizard-like creature. It wildly swung the vicious claws that branched from its arms in an intimidating battle dance.

"Skitty, come out!" May cried, reaching for her Pokéball.

"Piplup, help out!" Dawn called. Piplup leaped from her shoulder to stand next to Skitty.

"Come on, Pikachu!" Ash hollered. Soon, the three Pokémon stood face to face with the towering Haxorus.

"How pitiful." The man with the visor paused briefly. With a sinister smirk, he whispered, "Haxorus, use Hyper Beam."

Haxorus tensed its muscles and enveloped itself in a bright yellow light. With a bellowing roar, the light burst forth in a radiating beam that blasted into the ground in front of the three and their Pokémon. Dust sprayed everywhere, knocking Ash and May to the ground. Dawn was thrown to the side, skidding to a halt at the edge of the steep cliff that sloped down the side of the hill. Dawn quickly scrambled to her feet.

"Now, Haxorus," the man coldly said, pointing at Dawn. "One more time."

Time slowed to a crawl. Dawn watched in horror. Haxorus once again glowed a foreboding yellow. Time dragged as Dawn watched Haxorus set its sight directly on her, pointing its entire body at her chest. She flinched, covering her eyes as to not see what would surely be her last moments alive. If the Hyper Beam didn't kill her outright, the plunge from the cliff surely would have been more than happy to seal her fate. As she felt the heat of the Hyper Beam near, faintly, she heard someone scream.

"SKITTY! TACKLE!"

Skitty lunged toward Dawn, smashing into her ribs. Instantly, she was flung several feet, smashing into the ground. As she made contact with the dry earth, she could feel Haxorus' onslaught narrowly miss just above her. Dawn lay motionless on the ground, overwhelmed by what had just occurred. Suddenly the sound of sirens echoed through the air. An armada of police vehicles swarmed up the cliff. Startled, the men quickly mashed a device on their vests, and from each of their vests sprung a small jet pack. Each of the men leaped from the cliff and soared off into the distance, abandoning the vehicle that they had used to reach the cliff where they fled.

With the men gone, Ash rushed over to Dawn, pulling her onto his lap, her head resting on his chest. "Dawn! Dawn! Please wake up!" Ash begged.

Dawn slowly opened her eyes. "Ash…" she mumbled weakly. "What…happened?"

"Dawn!" May cried, kneeling at her side. "Are you alright?"

Dawn sat up slowly, seating herself between Ash and May. "Yeah, I think so. Are you alright?"

May nodded. "Yeah, we're fine. I was worried we were going to lose you over that cliff!"

Dawn heard the sound of stifled breathing. Ash had turned to face her, but he hung his head. "It's my fault. I put you in danger. I'm…sorry." A stray tear fell from his cheek, landing on the ground between them.

Dawn quickly placed her hand on his shoulder. "No, it's not, Ash. You didn't know this was going to happen. Please, don't be so hard on yourself."

A woman in a police uniform walked up to them, interrupting their touching exchange. "Excuse me, children, but are you alright?" the woman asked.

"Yes, I think so, Officer Jenny," May said. "We were attacked by those men you saw."

"I'm glad to see you three are alright, but we should have you checked out at the Pokémon center just in case," Jenny said.

May nodded, smiling. "Thank you, officer."

Officer Jenny escorted the three down to the Sungleam Pokémon center. After a brief checkup and a clean bill of health for everyone, Officer Jenny took them over to a small table in the Pokémon center lobby.

"So, I think you should know what happened back there," Jenny explained. "The men you saw are known as Pokémon Hunters. Their goal is to steal Pokémon and Pokémon-related items and sell them on the blackmarket. If you ever see them again, if at all possible, I strongly recommend you avoid confronting them at all costs. These men are extremely brutal and will stop at nothing to achieve their ends."

"So is there any way they can be stopped?" Dawn asked.

"I will be launching a full investigation into the matters regarding these Pokémon Hunters. Don't you worry, we'll catch them in no time."

"Well, that's good," May said, sighing with relief.

"You three should rest up tomorrow. Nurse Joy told me you two have a Pokémon contest tomorrow, is that right?" Jenny asked.

"Why, yes, it's May's and my first contest in the Obella region," Dawn chimed.

"Well, you'll definitely want to get some rest tonight. It starts first thing in the morning, so you'll need to be in tip-top shape!" Jenny said, excitement evident in her voice.

"Hmm, okay," May quietly replied.

"Yeah, I'm wiped," Ash moaned.

"Good night, everyone," Jenny gleamed.

Ash, May, and Dawn slowly started towards their rooms. Shortly before reaching them, Dawn abruptly stopped May in the hall.

"May?" Dawn timidly asked.

"What is it, Dawn?" May said, looking a little surprised.

Dawn paused for a moment. "Uhm, thanks a lot…for earlier," she stuttered.

May looked her in the eye and acknowledged her with a smile. "Good night."

"Night."


	5. Chapter 5

**5**

"Greetings, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the Sungleam Town Pokémon contest! I am your host, Lily, and boy, do we have a show for you today!" The PA beamed, echoing throughout the stadium. "Pokémon coordinators across Obella have gathered here to show off exactly what their Pokémon are made of! Hold on to your seats, because we have one exciting lineup laid out for you today! Without further ado, please cheer for today's contestants!"

The Sungleam Town Pokémon contest had started without incident. Ash looked down from his seat in the stands, watching the festive introduction ceremony commence. A single file line of trainers marched into the arena accompanied by a shower of confetti that glistened in the bright sunlight. After each contestant had taken their place for the introduction, the PA echoed again, "Ladies and gentlemen, your contestants!"

"Hey, there's May!" hollered Ash at the top of his lungs. "And there's Dawn! I'm rooting for you both!"

Back in the dressing rooms, Dawn was finishing the last touches on her hair. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted May getting some final stretches in before her performance.

"May! Over here!" Dawn called.

May rushed over immediately. "Good luck, Dawn! Hope to see you in the finals!"

"You too!" cheered Dawn, winking at May. "But I hope you know, I'm gonna win!"

"We'll just see about that!" teased May.

She paused for a brief moment before the PA started up. "Will the first contestant please make their way to the stage!"

"That's my cue, Dawn!" May shouted across the room. "Wish me luck!"

"Break a leg!"

Inside the stadium, the crowd roared as May made her way into the performance box. She paused, took one last breath, Pokéball in hand, and then hollered, "Skitty, take the stage!" She threw the Pokéball as hard as she could into the air, where it exploded with a dazzling shower of rainbow-colored light. Skitty leaped out of the ball in a perfect somersault, landing squarely in the middle of the stage.

"It's showtime, Skitty! Use Blizzard!" Skitty took a deep breath, exhaling a ferocious spiral of ice and snow directly towards the sky.

"Skitty, now use Tackle!" May shouted, and immediately Skitty leapt into its own snow spiral, spinning as it traversed the icy gale, cleanly leaving through the other side of the vortex.

"Now, spin and use Doubleslap!" May cried. As if driven by clockwork, Skitty leapt once more, spinning around ferociously while flailing its tail. The whipping action of its tail pulverized the remaining snow and ice, grinding it into a fine frozen mist that glimmered in the sun's rays, leaving a perfectly arcing rainbow in its stead. With one final flip, Skitty landed perfectly at May's feet. Both May and Skitty bowed, and the crowd erupted in applause. May wiped the sweat from her forehead before the PA dismissed her to announce the next contestant. Nervously, May ran down the corridor back into the dressing room where she and Dawn had parted. Dawn met her at the door.

"May, that was so beautiful! You had me glued to the edge of my seat the whole time!" Dawn exclaimed as if she couldn't contain herself. "It was so amazing!"

May gave a silent nod in response. "Thank you, Dawn," she replied, and calmly walked to her seat at one of the nearby mirrors.

A few seconds later, Dawn walked up to her. "It's my turn. I hope I do as well as you did, May," Dawn stammered nervously.

"Hmm," nodded May. "I know you'll be amazing, so go have fun out there!"

After passing through the narrow corridor, Dawn met the stadium with the PA blaring, "Coming up next, it's Dawn, all the way from Twinleaf Town in the Sinnoh region!" Dawn made her way up to the performance box with a graceful gait. After a deep breath, she was ready.

"Piplup, come out and steal the spotlight!" she yelled, throwing her Pokéball high into the air. Pink confetti burst forth into the air revealing Piplup's streamlined penguin-like body. With a quick twist, Piplup landed flawlessly in the middle of the stage.

"Piplup, start out with Bubblebeam at the sky!" commanded Dawn. Piplup responded by firing a stream of transparent bubbles that wafted through the air.

"Now, use Whirlpool!" ordered Dawn. Without delay, Piplup shot a jet of water from its beak, spinning it into a vast vortex of water before hurling it into the air. It collided with the bubbles, causing them to swirl around in its current, causing them to combine into one gargantuan bubble.

"Finish up with Drill Peck!" Dawn commanded, one last time. Immediately, Piplup sprang towards the bubble, piercing it with its beak. The bubble burst with a pop that echoed throughout the stadium, throwing droplets of water that glowed in the sun in every direction. Piplup landed cleanly and hurried over to Dawn to bow before being dismissed.

"Thank you to all our contestants who participated in today's opening round," echoed the PA. "Now, we will take a brief intermission while the judges tally our contestant's scores. Only eight of our contestants will advance to the second round, so who will they be?"

Dawn rushed back to the dressing room. May was sitting in the same corner, but Ash was with her this time. Ash looked over and spotted Dawn as she poked her head into the room.

"Dawn!" hollered Ash. "Over here!"

Dawn bounded over excitedly. "That was nerve-wracking," she moaned.

"You and May were awesome out there," asserted Ash. "Those were probably the best performances I've seen either of you do!"

"Why, thanks, Ash!" Dawn replied cheerfully, but then looked over towards May. "Are you alright? I haven't heard you say anything since you finished."

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine!" May responded with a smile. "I've just been trying to stay focused. I was really nervous after that first round, you know!"

"Yeah, I hear you," said Dawn, nodding. "Now let's see who we're facing in the second round."

With not a second to spare, the PA switched on. "If you would direct your attention to the nearest screen, we will now present the eight coordinators who will be moving on to the next round!" One by one, pictures of trainers began to cross the screen. Both Dawn and May were among the first one shown.

"Alright, you both made it!" cheered Ash. "Now, who are you facing?" Ash turned to the screen again.

"Now, by a random shuffle," the PA started, "will the second round matchups be chosen! Here we go!" The trainer pictures were quickly sorted into brackets.

When Dawn looked up at the screen, a stabbing pain shot across her chest. "May…" she mumbled. "You're my opponent." Dawn dropped her head. Ash looked at her expressionless face, unsure of what to say.

"Dawn," May said softly. "Good luck." May looked at Dawn and smiled. She noticed Dawn was clenching her teeth. Her hands were gripped in tight fists. Suddenly Dawn looked up and smiled back to her, nodding. "Right. Good luck, May." A man in a black suit walked up to May, signaling they move to the stadium to start the next round.

Back in the stadium, the PA continued the commentary. "Leading off the second round will be Dawn versus May!" The crowd erupted into cheers. The PA continued, "This will be a five minute timed match. Each contestant will battle with the goal of reducing their opponent's appeal points! When either one contestant is unable to continue or the timer runs out, the match will end! Are both sides ready? Battle begin!"

May's smiles in the dressing room quickly turned to a stern glare as the battle started. Pulling out her Pokéball, she screamed "Skitty, take the stage!" Skitty leapt from the Pokéball with a playful purr.

Dawn, sharing May's glare, tossed her Pokéball into the air. "Piplup, steal the spotlight!"

May shot a determined smirk towards Dawn. "Skitty, use Tackle!"

The stabbing pain shot through Dawn's chest again. _"Tackle," _Dawn thought. "_Tackle. May and Tackle saved my life. How could I, how could I fight her-?" _Dawn's attention quickly shifted as Skitty's charge neared Piplup.

"Piplup, dodge it, now!" pleaded Dawn, but it was too late. Skitty collided head-on with Piplup, sending it flying back into the ground. Dawn could feel her appeal points withering away. "Piplup, use…use Bubblebeam!" The hesitation allowed Skitty to seamlessly dodge the oncoming barrage of bubbles. More points tick away.

May glanced over at Dawn's fragile expression, softening her own stern scowl. _"Something's not right," _May thought. _"Something is really wrong. But…I can't take it easy on her just because of that." _After a brief pause, May announced, "Skitty, use Blizzard!" With a deep breath, a howling gale of snow poured over Piplup, locking it in a chamber of ice.

"Piplup, NO!" cried Dawn, but it was too late. Piplup was frozen in place.

"Skitty, use Tackle!" With a furious charge, Skitty collided with the frozen Piplup. The ice casing around it shattered, sending Piplup flying into the wall behind it. When Piplup landed, it lay there motionless.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Piplup is unable to battle! That means that May is our winner without losing a single point! Congratulations, May!" The PA cheered. The audience fell silent, aware of how lopsided the battle ended. In the silent stadium, Dawn walked over to her Piplup, who managed to sit up. Her eyes started to water. "I'm…so sorry, Piplup," she muttered, sniveling. Never once raising her head or looking at May, Dawn quickly and quietly left the stage. May left on the other side of the stadium, waiting for her turn in the next round.

When Dawn reached the dressing room, she continued into the hall outside next to one of the video screens. Her mind started to wander. "_I'm so sorry, May. I couldn't do it. So sorry." _

The battle rounds continued, and the field narrowed down. Dawn, coming back to her senses, looked up to see May narrowly trailing a man named Antonio with only 30 seconds remaining. With seconds remaining, each side prepared its final attack. As May and Antonio traded their final assault, the clock expired, with Antonio still ahead. Dawn buried her head in her hands, knowing May was eliminated, too.

After May's defeat in the semifinals, she headed over to the dressing room, only to find Dawn was not there. Shortly afterwards, Ash stormed into the room.

"May, that was a tough loss, but you did great," Ash complimented. May responded with a faint smile that quickly faded.

"May, are you okay?" asked Ash.

"Yeah. I'm fine," May replied. "That was a fun battle…but Dawn. I'm worried about her."

"Me too, May," Ash responded. "Do you know where she is?"

"I have no idea," May said softly. "I'm going to look for her."

May searched the stadium frantically. After more than an hour, she arrived at a narrow corridor marked "HOTEL SUITES". Stopping for a breath, one of the rooms caught her attention: Dawn's room. Cracking the door open, May peered inside. Dawn was lying face down on her bed. Quietly, May crept inside and took a seat on the corner of the bed. Gazing down, May noticed Dawn's pillow and hair were completely soaked. Stunned and speechless, May placed her hand in Dawn's, trying to offer some condolence. Dawn nestled her pillow, paused, and then started to sit up. May caught a glance of her eyes, which were a deep red. Fresh tear streams glistened on her cheeks in the sunset that poured through the window.

"May," Dawn whispered. "I'm so—"

May held a finger to her lips. "Don't be," she mouthed, smiling at Dawn. Dawn collapsed into May's arms, tears trickling down her face.

May held Dawn without saying a word.

Down the hallway, Ash sprinted towards the hotel suites. As he arrived, he saw May quietly closing the door behind her.

"May!" he whispered intensely. "Did you find Dawn?" May silently nodded, a serious look on her face. Ash glanced down and noticed several wet spots on her shirt. "Is she alright?" he finished.

"Yeah," May mumbled. "She's asleep now. She should be fine in the morning."

"What a rough day," Ash muttered.

"You know, it really has been. Say, Ash, we should probably get some rest, too. We'll be able to get an early start toward Flansdale City that way," yawned May.

"Yeah, sounds like a plan," replied Ash. "Good night, May."

"Good night, Ash."

The next thing he knew, Ash was greeted by the faint gleam of the sunrise that lit the room. He could have sworn that he fell asleep only minutes ago, but the clock on his nightstand indicated it was time to wake up. As he put on his cap, Pikachu slowly opened its eyes, scratched its ear, and jumped off the bed in time to follow Ash out the door.

Ash walked down the hallway, ending in a large waiting area that also doubled as a Pokémon center. In the far corner, May was sitting in a row of chairs humming to the radio that played over the PA speakers. As Ash approached, she looked his way and jumped slightly, seemingly startled that he had gotten so closely without her noticing.

"Oh, hey, Ash," May called.

Ash sat down next to May. "Hi, May. You're up awfully early."

"Yeah, I came down not too long ago to see if Dawn was around. Apparently she hasn't gotten up yet."

"You don't know where she is either? Man…"

At that moment, Ash and May both turned to the sound of footsteps down the hall. Dawn turned the corner into the room where they were sitting. Dawn paused in the entryway, slightly startled to see the two staring at her.

"Uh, hi guys," stuttered Dawn. "What's up?"

The two softened their expressions a bit. After a short silence, May piped up, "Nothing, we just got up. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, just fine. How about you?" she replied as she focused her attention on Ash, whose eyelids were starting to droop. May took notice and glanced over at Ash, giving him a subtle nudge to wake him up.

"Oh, haha, yeah, it was alright," chuckled Ash, feeling embarrassed for all the attention that was being directed at him. "We should probably get going for the next town pretty soon."

"Oh, right, Ash!" May blurted. "Flansdale City is the next city we'll see. On top of that, there's a Gym there, too!"

"Alright!" Ash exclaimed. "My first Gym battle in the Obella region!"

"And that means I get to see one of your awesome Gym battles again, Ash," Dawn said enthusiastically. "I can't wait!" Dawn's stomach let out an audible growl. "Err…maybe after breakfast," Dawn sighed.

"Hah, right," Ash laughed. "First things first, you know!"

As the three headed out the Contest Hall doors, they spotted a picnic table resting under a large oak tree. May rushed over to the table.

"This would work great, don't you think?" May asked.

"Yeah, it's perfect, May," Dawn replied.

As May dug through her pack for food, Ash and Dawn scurried over to the oak tree.

"Hey, Dawn," Ash mumbled.

"Hmm?"

"I'm uh…" Ash stuttered. "I'm really sorry about your loss yesterday."

"Thanks, Ash," Dawn sweetly assured with a smile. "But it's alright. I don't mind losing, but…" her words trailed off.

Still at the picnic table, May caught Dawn's smile fade. She strained to listen to Dawn's words as if she knew Dawn was hiding something from her.

"…I just feel like I let May down," Dawn continued.

"Why?" Ash asked, barely letting Dawn finish her thought.

"All this time, I was…May was excited to get the chance to battle me again. I couldn't fight. I couldn't even think. We could have had a lot of fun and a great battle, but I couldn't even give her something worth remembering."

"Do you think it had something to do with May helping you out before the contest?"

"I think so. All I could think about during the battle was how she saved my life…about how I couldn't fight her. What they say about it being hard to fight your friends, I think I really found that out for myself yesterday." A stray tear started to form in Dawn's eye. She quickly wiped it away.

In the distance, a sadness fell over May, who was still listening. Unable to restrain herself anymore, she slowly walked over to Dawn and Ash.

"I'm really sorry for butting in," May said timidly, sitting across from her. "…But I heard, well, you know…" her voice quieted.

Ash gave May a shocked look and then looked at Dawn, whose expression was still very much flat. "You did?" he asked sharply.

"Yes," replied May, nodding towards Ash. She looked back at Dawn. "About the match, I really don't mind. Really, I understand how you feel. It's really hard to battle under that pressure, isn't it?" Dawn slowly nodded. May placed her hand on Dawn's shoulder. "Even though we are friends, we are also rivals, and as your rival, I'm always going to want to fight you at your strongest. I know you wouldn't want anything less than the best from me, right?"

"Yeah," Dawn said in a barely audible voice.

May smiled at Dawn. "Good."

Ash chipped in. "And don't forget, Dawn, we've always got your back, right May?"

"Exactly, Ash."

"Hey, Dawn, May, how about after breakfast, you two have a little contest battle?" Ash suggested.

"Hey, that's not a bad idea, Ash!" May exclaimed. "Dawn, would you be up for it?"

A previously absent passion glowed in Dawn's eyes. She jumped to her feet. "I'd love to!"

"Loser does the dishes!" Ash called as he stood up and ran back to the picnic table.

May had prepared a number of sandwiches for everyone, each with its own exquisite array of colors neatly placed between two pieces of thin white bread. On the side she had placed a mix of assorted nuts and exotic berries. Everyone ate as quickly as they could before racing off into a nearby open field, eager to stretch out after their long-awaited and short-lived meal.

"So, time for our little battle, yeah?" asked May in an almost taunting tone.

"I always keep my promises," jabbed Dawn. She pivoted to face Ash, who was standing well off to the side, equidistant from each of them. "Ash, want to try refereeing this time around?

"Hah, yeah, sounds like fun!" Ash hollered back to Dawn. "This'll be a one-on-one rematch of the Sungleam Town contest battle! Let's battle!"

Dawn raised her Pokéball high in the air. With a great thrust, she tossed it into the air, calling "Piplup, let's go!" With a grand explosion, Piplup leaped from the tiny capsule, landing in the middle of the open field.

May was not to be outdone. With an acrobatic twirl, she threw her Pokéball directly out into the field. "Skitty, take the stage!" she cried, and with a brilliant flash of light, Skitty popped out of its Pokéball and landed feet from Piplup.

Dawn shot May a fiercely determined glare. "I'll go first! Piplup, use Drill Peck!" Piplup charged straight for Skitty, launching a string of ferocious pecks in Skitty's direction. Anticipating an impact, Skitty artfully dodged each strike.

"Skitty, use Tackle!" May commanded, and instantly Skitty leaped over Piplup, landing directly behind it, following up with a furious tackling impact that landed squarely at Piplup's back.

"Piplup, shake it off!" pleaded Dawn. "Alright, Piplup, use Bubblebeam!" From Piplup's beak shot hundreds of bubbles that sped towards Skitty at breakneck speed.

May hesitated briefly. "Uh…wait, Skitty, use Blizzard!" Taking a giant breath, Skitty exhaled, spraying a vicious gale of snow and ice towards the bubbles, freezing them on impact and reversing the trajectory. The bubbles-turned-balls-of-ice hurdled towards Piplup, knocking Piplup to the ground and knocking it back several yards.

Dawn gasped in shock, amazed that such a powerful attack was reflected so effortlessly. Trying to regain her composure, she hastily weighed her options. After a few tense seconds, something clicked. "Piplup, Whirlpool!" Out of thin air, Piplup whisked up a ferocious cyclone of water, hurling it in Skitty's direction.

"Skitty, freeze Piplup's attack again with Blizzard!" Another frigid gale shot towards Piplup, colliding squarely with the spinning cyclone. Ice crystals started to form in its current. However, the mass of water proved too much for Skitty's blizzard to counter. The cyclone barreled towards Skitty, who was struck by both a deluge of water as well as countless pin-sharp icicles. Skitty was hurled back by the sheer force of the blast, letting out a shrill wail as it smashed into the ground.

"Piplup, wrap this up with one last Drill Peck!" Piplup hurled itself at the still-immobile Skitty, cleanly colliding with it, and sending Skitty tumbling along the ground, until it finally stopped right at May's feet. Skitty remained on the ground, letting out only a faint moan.

"Looks like Skitty's unable to battle, which means Dawn wins this one!" Ash exclaimed.

"Wow, Dawn, that was amazing!" May hollered across the field. "You really let me have it!"

"It's all because of you, May, really!" Dawn hollered back. May and Dawn met in the middle of the field to retrieve their Pokémon when suddenly a loud explosion went off in the distance, leaving the entire field covered in a black smoke.

"Why bother asking 'who goes there?'"

"Just try and find out, if you dare!"

"Presenting an ever imminent threat!"

"I must say this time, your match, you've met!"

"The fairest flame, Jessie!"

"And the cold converse, I am James!"

"Meowth's my name,"

"The baddest bunch under the sun!"

"We're team Rocket!"

"Causing trouble..."

"…Three for one!"

Ash recognized those voices.

"Team Rocket!" he screamed. As the fog lifted, he looked around to see Skitty and Piplup were missing. Turning his head upwards, he saw them, trapped in a tiny cage that was attached to Team Rocket's hot air balloon.

"Hahahaha!" Jessie cackled. "Now that we've got our hands on your twerpish Pokémon, we'll just be going now!"

"Not so fast!" Ash hollered back. "Pikachu, help your friends out! Go and use Electro Ball!" Pikachu wildly swung its tail, releasing a glowing ball of electricity that only seemed to grow as it approached the metal cage. As it collided, it shook the entire balloon, cracking the cage's exterior. Dawn jumped at the force of the impact. Taking a second glance, she noticed the cracks and saw her chance.

"Piplup, try to get out with Drill Peck!" Dawn pleaded. Piplup ferociously pecked at the cage. A few precious seconds later, several of the bars holding the cage together snapped, releasing Piplup and Skitty into a dizzying freefall. Piplup frantically flapped its wings, slowing its fall enough to land safely, but Skitty was falling far too fast to land gracefully. Alarmed, May bolted after Skitty.

"I've got you!" cried May, and just as May dove to catch Skitty, Skitty landed neatly in her arms. It let out a soft purr as if to thank her for her effort. She then returned her attention to Team Rocket, whose balloon was still fully intact.

"You may have your Pokémon back, but we still have tricks up our sleeve," Jessie taunted, pulling out a large remote.

"Dawn!" May barked. "Let's do this one together!" In perfect unison, May called for Skitty's Blizzard while Dawn called for Piplup's Bubblebeam. Like in the previous battle, Piplup's Bubblebeam was instantly frozen, and as it made contact with Team Rocket's balloon, the balls of ice tore through the thin covering of the balloon. The balloon erupted in an explosion of black smoke. By the time the smoke cleared, there was no sight of Team Rocket or their balloon. With the danger gone, Ash, May, and Dawn dusted themselves off. May recalled Skitty to its Pokéball.

"A bit of an exciting finish," May said, letting off a small sigh. "But Dawn, you were great, both in our battle and in battling Team Rocket!"

"Aww, thanks, May," Dawn replied, flattered. "But you're pretty amazing too, you know."

"Aww. Well, I'm just glad I've got the old Dawn back. Well, what do you say we get going to Flansdale City?"

"Sounds great!"

"Alright, to Flansdale City!" Ash exclaimed as they all headed into the horizon.


End file.
